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MG MGA - MGA A History & Restoration Guide

MGA A History & Restoration Guide
By Robert P Vitrikas

I have just seen this book for sale on-line. Is it a good book to add to my collection?

Steve
Steve Gyles

I took a look at it in a store one time, and very quickly put it back on the shelf
dominic clancy

Is a good book on the history of the MG and of the A, it details a lot of techniques and theory behind restoration matters not too much on practical matters.

I haven't looked at it since my MG purchase but what I remember is that it goes very in depth into areas that at the time I had little interest, with lots of reading but few pictures...

Others will no doubt add more details, can you not look on google books, there's normally a few pages show on there.

Be careful of prints, my girlfriend brought my 'mint' copy but it turned out to be a proof, with text alignment off center.

Matthew.
M Elliott

I bought one about 25 years ago. I haven't looked at it for about 20 years except when someone asks a question about the book. It is always the last book on bottom of the stack. About 200 pages on history, statistics, and features. A dozen pages of pictures of a rusty frame and body. Essentially nothing at all about how to restore it.
Barney Gaylord

While I agree that it's light on technical restoration info, it's a interesting book and there is a pretty good section on upholstery that I've not found else where.
GTF
G T Foster

Tough crowd:>) I agree that the technical side for restoration is not a lot of help, but the development, history and racing sections are great. The binding has gone on mine, I have opened it so many times, and I am actually considering getting a new copy.
Ralph
Ralph

Written by the then NAMGAR Historian it is an excellent MG history but only touches on restoration issues in passing. If you want a history it is a good one to have. Look elsewhere for any kind of in-depth restoration advice.
Keith Lowman

Steve, Essential for any keen MGA enthusiast (such as yourself!).
Barry Bahnisch

I have one in my MGA library. The part at the back of the book that identifies color combinations and optional accessories is the part that I have not found elsewhere. No real technical information but interesting information. Plus over 200 pictures. I have found that even my Clausager book doesn't have it all. Another piece in the information puzzle and I think worthwhile. You really can't have too much info.
R J Brown

I'm with Barney on this one. Have it, but never use it!
David Werblow

Hmmm. Ok thanks everyone.

I wonder what you will all say about my possible book: "Shelley Jacks - At The Height Of British Industry".

Steve

Steve Gyles

Hi Steve - I have a copy of the book - given for my birthday the year I got my car. It has lots of photos I had not seen before plus photos of rust areas if you are looking to buy one plus other buying and owning tips - but not much on actual restoration procedures - worth having for your collection if it is going cheap.
Looking forward to reading your book on Shelley jacks - might give me a lift !! cheers Cam
Cam Cunningham

Steve,

As part of a collection, then it's worth having ( if not too pricy ), there's no book that covers it all.

I concur with the detailed comments above, the thing to remember is that it was written some while ago when a lot of the history had not been gathered together, and 'restoration' of a 25 year old car was a different proposition than the present restoration of a 50 year old car.

I'm not too sure that title for your book will attract a wide enough audience; how about "Shelley Jacks - an Uplifting Story" ?

Jim
J N Gibson

Steve,

I'm sure your book won't let us down.
David Werblow


I've got the book and have used it occasionally for historical reference, but not for the restoration itself. No good MGA book collection should be without it. If you don't have a collection of MGA books, then it is probably not necessary.

Shelley Jacks - The Rise And Fall of British Automobiles.
Chuck Schaefer

Shelley Jacks - Up Yours!
L Wheeler

Shelley jacks - Screw You!

Oh dear, I have started something now.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Mr Wheeler - that's got to be the winner!!
Cam Cunningham

Shelley Jacks. A Footnote in the rise and fall of the British Automobile Industry.

Shelley Jacks. The Rise and Fall of BMC.

Shelley Jacks. How they Screwed it up.

Shelley Jacks. Oh! Endless risible variations.

A M Leyva

Steve,
The King Solomon method of deciding whether you should buy the book for your collection is - ask Barney will he sell you his copy!
Mike
Mike Ellsmore

Chuckle. I'm not so hard up as to be selling my books, even if I don't use them.

Since this thread is rolling I pulled the book out for further review. After R J Brown's note I reviewed the charts on color combinations to a web page. There is one omission in those charts. A black 1500 or 1600 roadster with red interior could have a red dash. That is the only exception where a painted dash is otherwise always same as body color.

I'm almost half way through re-reading it. The fun of it is in verifying that most of the history is correct, and nit picking a few minor errors. I view most of it as "common knowledge", but that may be because I read it more than 20 years ago and adopted it as the truth. It is interesting reading for anyone who is not familiar with the history of M.G. Car Company.

I may occasionally argue the "M.G." does not stand for "Morris Garages", since Morris Garages, Ltd and The M.G. Car Company, Ltd were two separate businesses that were in business at the same time. At the time of start-up The M.G. Car Co. was owned by Wm. Morris (as was Morris Garages).

The Restoration chapter is only 35 pages, and most of that is more about originality than repairs. There are several pages of pictures of rusty parts, but nothing at all to tell you how to restore (repair) anything.
Barney Gaylord

It's a history. It's not a restoration guide. The title is misleading.
It's not misleading. It's dishonest.
Ok, but let's just say misleading.
Dishonest.
Whatever.
John V.
John V.
J Vallely

This thread was discussed between 25/05/2011 and 01/06/2011

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